Etherification of Glycerol to Form New Solvents for CO2 Absorption

CO2 absorption is at the forefront of separation research due to the pressing need to reduce and capture greenhouse gas emissions. For streams with high concentrations of CO₂, physical solvents are preferred. The conventional physical solvents used for these processes are derived from petroleum products. However, more sustainable solvents derived from glycerol would be desirable replacements. Here, we study reaction conditions for the etherification of glycerol to form triethers with low viscosity and low vapor pressures that possess a combination of properties that make them green replacements for conventional physical solvents. The synthesized solvents were characterized in terms of their physical properties and CO₂ absorption capabilities.